The Relationship Between Disease Activity, Comorbidity Burden, and Functional Status with Self-Esteem in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease with systemic involvement that gives rise not only to physical but also to psychosocial consequences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship be-tween self-esteem and disease activity, functional status, and comorbidities in patients with RA.
Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled patients with a confirmed diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Disease ac-tivity was measured using the DAS28 score, functional status was assessed with the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and self-esteem was evaluated using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.
Results: A statistically significant association was found between increased disease activity, higher comorbidity burden, and lower self-esteem scores.
Conclusion: The psychosocial dimension must be taken into consideration when evaluating patients with RA. Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, self-esteem, disease activity, comorbidity, functional status

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, self-esteem, disease activity, comorbidity, functional status